As Tottenham Hotspur compete for honours on three fronts, Mauricio Pochettino sees no reason why his side can’t win silverware this season.
The White Hart Lane men last added to their honours list in 2008, when a Jonathan Woodgate goal in extra time sealed a 2-1 League Cup final win over Chelsea. Their chances of lifting that particular trophy again this term ended when archrivals Arsenal beat them in the third round, but Pochettino’s side are still very much in the mix on all other fronts.
It would take something special, admittedly, for them to win a first league title since 1961, but they are only five points behind the leaders and currently occupy the all-important fourth position. And they could yet taste glory in Europe, having progressed through their UEFA Europa League group to set up a meeting with Italian side Fiorentina in the last 32.
And then there is the FA Cup, where they were held to a 1-1 home draw against Premier League high-flyers Leicester City 10 days ago. Some had Spurs down as underdogs at the King Power Stadium, but goals from Son Heung-min and Nacer Chadli gave them an impressive 2-0 win which secures a fourth-round date against League One strugglers Colchester United.
“The FA Cup is an important competition for us and we showed we have a squad that is good enough to compete in every competition,” said Pochettino. “We have also the Premier League and Europa League and I think it is very important to keep the squad fit and working hard, and the FA Cup is very important. We are having a fantastic season and are at a fantastic level.”
Meanwhile, the Football Leaks website claim Tottenham have the first option to sign Gareth Bale should Real Madrid decide to sell. The Spaniards paid a world record fee to take the player from White Hart Lane in 2013, and when asked if he would be interested, Pochettino replied: “Why not? He’s a great player and a player that can improve our squad.”
